Rapidly-growing Apple Music tops 17 million subscribers

In spite of only launching a little over a year ago, Apple Music has already exceeded 17 million subscribers, Apple announced at its Sept. 7 press event.

As recently as June, the service was said to have about 15 million subscribers. In its latest figures the company didn't break down how many people are actively paying versus using their free three-month trials.

Apple still has some ways to go to catch up with Spotify, the industry leader in on-demand streaming, which in August said it had 39 million paid Premium subscribers, on top of a far larger cohort using its free ad-based tier. Spotify has been around since 2008 however, meaning it took eight years to reach that figure.

Apple's growth in music streaming likely stems from a combination of factors, including its massive advertising budget. Apple Music is also deeply integrated into iOS and iTunes, whereas people interested in services like Spotify or Tidal have to download separate clients, and can't use voice controls on Apple platforms -- though that may eventually change thanks to Siri's third-party app support in iOS 10.

On top of this Apple has pursued an aggressive exclusivity strategy, making some albums available only on its service, if normally just for a week. Spotify has allegedly responded by keeping artists who agree to outside exclusives off of featured playlists, and/or burying their tracks in search results, though Spotify denies the latter.

The Apple strategy saw a major setback recently when Universal issued a moratorium on all exclusives for its artists, likely because of an incident with Apple Music and pop musician Frank Ocean. As one of the world's biggest labels, that cuts off a number of potential deals.

Comments

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

The last thing I'd want is for Apple to become a record label and further their attempt at making the music industry their monopoly.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

And yet Spotify continues to lose hundreds of millions of dollars because streaming is a losing business. The only ones who can handle it are companies who just consider it an ecosystem value add and can write off the losses.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

And yet Spotify continues to lose hundreds of millions of dollars because streaming is a losing business. The only ones who can handle it are companies who just consider it an ecosystem value add and can write off the losses.

I haven't seen the 2016 numbers, but Spotify increased its revenue from streaming by 80% in 2015. Revenue is increasing a lot faster than their losses.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

And yet Spotify continues to lose hundreds of millions of dollars because streaming is a losing business. The only ones who can handle it are companies who just consider it an ecosystem value add and can write off the losses.

I haven't seen the 2016 numbers, but Spotify increased its revenue from streaming by 80% in 2015. Revenue is increasing a lot faster than their losses.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

Spotify is bleeding money, so wth is your argument?

They are also making a lot of money at the same time. My point is, they aren't going to be folding anytime soon.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

And yet Spotify continues to lose hundreds of millions of dollars because streaming is a losing business. The only ones who can handle it are companies who just consider it an ecosystem value add and can write off the losses.

I haven't seen the 2016 numbers, but Spotify increased its revenue from streaming by 80% in 2015. Revenue is increasing a lot faster than their losses.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

The last thing I'd want is for Apple to become a record label and further their attempt at making the music industry their monopoly.

Because benefitting the artists is a bad idea right?

Apple becoming a label would be a godsend for artists getting raped by traditional labels. Add the fact Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre work for Apple and don't be surprised if we see a label soon. You think the biggest record execs in history are working at Apple for nothing?

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

And yet Spotify continues to lose hundreds of millions of dollars because streaming is a losing business. The only ones who can handle it are companies who just consider it an ecosystem value add and can write off the losses.

I haven't seen the 2016 numbers, but Spotify increased its revenue from streaming by 80% in 2015. Revenue is increasing a lot faster than their losses.

Don't confuse revenue with profit. Much easier to increase the former than it is the latter.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

Spotify is bleeding money, so wth is your argument?

They are also making a lot of money at the same time. My point is, they aren't going to be folding anytime soon.

Dude do you know how to read?

Spotify lost money last year and the year before that. And the year before that. Spotify has no where close to 50 million paid subs. They were at 25 million at the end of 2015.

Spotify could easily fold in a year or two.

I never said they had 50 million paid subscribers. I said at the current rate they are adding them, they will get to 50 million. As of August 2016, they were at 39 million paid subscribers. At the end of the day, I could care less if they fold or not. I'm not into the streaming thing anyway. I prefer to own my music, not rent it.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

Then why are they still losing money hand over fist? If anything Pandora’s days are numbered. Spotify will suffer the same fate if/when the labels raise their streaming rates. Apple , Amazon, and Google can absorb that. Spotify can’t.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

Spotify is bleeding money, so wth is your argument?

They are also making a lot of money at the same time. My point is, they aren't going to be folding anytime soon.

Dude do you know how to read?

Spotify lost money last year and the year before that. And the year before that. Spotify has no where close to 50 million paid subs. They were at 25 million at the end of 2015.

Spotify could easily fold in a year or two.

I never said they had 50 million paid subscribers. I said at the current rate they are adding them, they will get to 50 million. As of August 2016, they were at 39 million paid subscribers. At the end of the day, I could care less if they fold or not. I'm not into the streaming thing anyway. I prefer to own my music, not rent it.

Right. Doing the math Spotify gains about 5 million subscribers a year while Apple gains 14. So in 2 years the numbers will be:

Spotify: 50mApple: 43m

In 3 years:

Spotify: 55mApple: 57m

Of course there's other factors but when Spotify is losing money and Apple is gaining it doesn't look good for Spotify.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Spotify isn't going to fold anytime soon. They still have more than double the amount of paid subscribers compared to Apple Music. At their current growth rate, Spotify should be at 50 million paid subsribers by the beginning of next year. Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

Spotify is bleeding money, so wth is your argument?

They are also making a lot of money at the same time. My point is, they aren't going to be folding anytime soon.

Dude do you know how to read?

Spotify lost money last year and the year before that. And the year before that. Spotify has no where close to 50 million paid subs. They were at 25 million at the end of 2015.

Spotify could easily fold in a year or two.

I never said they had 50 million paid subscribers. I said at the current rate they are adding them, they will get to 50 million. As of August 2016, they were at 39 million paid subscribers. At the end of the day, I could care less if they fold or not. I'm not into the streaming thing anyway. I prefer to own my music, not rent it.

Right. Doing the math Spotify gains about 5 million subscribers a year while Apple gains 14. So in 2 years the numbers will be:

Spotify: 50mApple: 43m

In 3 years:

Spotify: 55mApple: 57m

Of course there's other factors but when Spotify is losing money and Apple is gaining it doesn't look good for Spotify.

Actually, Spotify gains over 10 million subscribers a year. They only had 10 million in 2014. In March this year, they announced 30 million subscribers. Between March and the end of August, they added almost 10 million subscribers.

EDIT: I'm curious to see what happens with their video service. I'm sure that's not going to be cheap buying shows like Netflix & Amazon.

What's your opinion on 17 million? Is it a hit to Spotify and do you think Spotify will fold soon?

I think it's time for Apple to open Apple Music like the App Store and allow indie artists access. I also think Apple should become a record label and hire acts like Frank Ocean, Dr. Dre and others including indie artists who they can make stars in a matter of days.

Until Apple Music removes the requirement of having to use iTunes Match to listen offline, I will never use it again.

I don't have iTunes Match and I listen to my music offline. What are you doing wrong?

Apple Music will never win this because Android users will never accept an Apple service. They've lost all objectivity and their decisions are base on blind zeal.

Because Apple releases a service onto android knowing no one will use it because they are too busy foaming at the mouth as they warm their houses with the note 7. Methinks they've seen potential in getting a nice slice of money by extending Apple music to Android.